The story begins with a brief scene showing the initial Covenant attack on Ariel. A civilian researcher manages to send a distress call before being captured by the Covenant.

Later, onboard a UNSC frigate, Romeo and Dutch get into a fight with other ODSTs. Both are confined to their quarters by MSgtFrost as a result. While in his quarters, Dutch receives a message from his wife, who tells him of the option of transferring into a non-combat position to be with her.

The Marines then get their mission to investigate Ariel, and after landing, find the colony's main settlement to be empty, absent of bodies or Covenant. They are ordered to split up, and investigate the colony for any sign of civilian activity. At the settlement's underground reactor complex, Dutch and Romeo find Covenant forces digging for something, and before they can return to the surface, they are attacked. The reactor is damaged in the fighting, and begins to overload. Meanwhile, the other ODSTs detect the subterranean explosions, and Frost orders everyone to retreat from the area, leaving Dutch, Romeo, and two other ODSTs behind. They then proceed to move through a desert to another archaeological dig.

Unbeknown to the other ODSTs, Dutch and Romeo are saved by the reactor's explosion by using Elite bodies as shields. Before the explosion, Dutch tells Romeo that he put in for a transfer to be with his wife. Afterward, Romeo starts angrily asking Dutch why didn't he tell him about the transfer earlier. Dutch only replies that they'll discuss it further later, and the two move out. They soon come across a wounded Grunt and interrogate it, learning only that the Covenant are after something called "Knowing". The two then decide to head to higher ground to locate the rest of the ODSTs. Once there, they find that a massive Covenant ground force is massing behind the other Marines, and decide to create a diversion to draw the Covenant away from their compatriots.

Romeo and Dutch plant explosive charges into a canyon and detonate them, killing numerous Covenant and attracting the attention of the rest. After setting more traps for pursuing Covenant, they commandeer a lightly-guarded Phantom dropship and rain death down on the rest of the Covenant infantry in the area. However, the craft is severely damaged by a stray fuel rod. Dutch manages to fly the craft to the other dig site and bring it crashing down on a group of Covenant, while the ODSTs bail out. They discover the missing civilians, held prisoner by the Covenant in a building. They learn from a researcher that the Covenant have been using the humans to spring booby traps in an ancient underground complex.

The ODSTs assault the chamber where the Covenant are rounding up the civilians, and after eliminating the opposition, tell the humans to evacuate. They then decide to investigate the underground complex. After evading a laser trap, they find themselves in a large chamber, with a Monitor-like construct suspended in the ceiling. It identifies itself as "the Knowing", and tells the ODSTs its function: to collect and archive information. After learning that the Covenant could use this information against humanity, the ODSTs decide that the construct must be destroyed, despite standing orders to preserve and record xenoarchaeological findings. They make their escape as the Knowing willingly self-destructs. After its destruction, the Prophet leading the Covenant forces orders them to leave the planet at once and return to High Charity. Romeo and Dutch move back up to the surface from the underground tunnels, regrouping with the rest of the ODST squad.

Back aboard the frigate, Romeo is recovering from a broken ankle on an infirmary bed. He tells Dutch that he, too, requested a transfer for a planetside assignment to be with Dutch. Dutch, on the other hand, tells that he withdrew his transfer request. They have a game of rock-paper-scissors, and decide to go with the winner's decision. The story ends with Romeo winning, with scissors over paper.

Comic legend Peter David and up-and-coming artist Eric Nguyen bring a whole new HALO story to life! When the colony planet Ariel sends out a mysterious distress signal, it’s up to the UNSC’s elite, highly skilled special-ops Marines, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 105th, to find out what’s happening. Also known as ODSTs or “Helljumpers”, these soldiers are some of the toughest in the galaxy…and some of the roughest as well. When the distress signal comes, two Helljumpers will find themselves at the center of the mystery on Ariel, and before it’s solved, they’ll have to put their friendship—and their lives—on the line…[3]

Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 105th Division—more famously known as the “Helljumpers”—have arrived at a distressed science colony on the planet Ariel…only problem? The place is totally abandoned. As the Helljumpers investigate, trying to figure out what happened to the colonists, it becomes increasingly clear that the colony isn’t quite as empty as it seemed… the discovery of a large Covenant military presence raises more questions than it answers. Helljumpers Dutch and Romeo have penetrated farthest into the Covenant-held facility, and when all hell breaks loose, it will be the ultimate test of their fighting prowess—and their friendship.[4]

Mysteries deepen as the Helljumpers’ investigation of the curious events at the Space Colony Ariel continues. Cut off from the rest of their company, Dutch and Romeo must use every ounce of skill and strength to stay alive. But earth-shaking events--both physical and personal--will truly test the mettle of these two brothers-in-arms.[5]

With an entire Covenant regiment hot on the trail of their comrades, Dutch and Romeo don't have a lot of options...the radios are out, so they can't alert their CO as to what's behind them, and they don't have enough firepower to take the Covenant force out on their own. But... hey, what's this here? A lightly guarded Covenant Drop Ship? But who'd be stupid enough to steal a Drop Ship? Two of the UNSC's finest, perhaps?[6]

Dutch and Romeo have gotten themselves into some pretty crazy situations, but stealing a Covenant ship would definitely get both of them a medal for Most Insane Thing Done In the Line of Duty. If they survive this, they'll still have plenty of questions to answer: what the heck are the Covenant doing here on Planet Ariel, an otherwise harmless colony? And why are they acting so strange-taking the humans hostage instead of glassing the planet, which is their M.O.? Whatever's lurking deep underneath the surface, if the Covenant wants it that bad, it has to be big... and deadly. DON'T MISS THE GRIPPING CONCLUSION TO THIS HEART-STOPPING STORY![7]